title: The gonadotropin response of men with varicoceles to a four-hour infusion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone.
abstract: The serum gonadotropin, testosterone, and estradiol responses to a 4-hour intravenous infusion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) were studied in four groups of men: severely oligospermic men with varicoceles and sperm densities less than 1 X 10(7)/ml, men with varicoceles and sperm densities between 1.1 X 10(7) and 3 X 10(7)/ml, men with varicoceles and sperm densities greater than 3 X 10(7)/ml, and men of normal fertility. Each group had similar preinfusion luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone, and estradiol levels. Both the severely oligospermic men and the men with sperm densities between 1.1 X 10(7)/ml and 3 X 10(7)/ml had excessive gonadotropin responses to the GnRH infusion. The gonadotropin responses of the men with sperm densities greater than 3 X 10(7)/ml were not different from normal. These results demonstrate that men with varicoceles and sperm densities less than 3 X 10(7)/ml have an altered integrity of their hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axes, which can be demonstrated by their responses to GnRH.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007700:Kinetics; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000097:blood; D013076:Sperm Count; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014646:Varicocele / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone